Dragon’s Den – How to sell a concept/ product

Dragons' Den is a British television programme.

The format of the show is owned by Sony Pictures
Television and is based on the original Japanese
programme, which has been sold around the world.
The programme has been produced by BBC
Manchester since its inception and was first
broadcast on BBC Two on 4 January 2005.

The show allows several entrepreneurs an

opportunity to present their varying business ideas
to a panel of five wealthy investors, the "Dragons" of
the show's title, and pitch for financial investment
while offering a stake of the company in return.

* Translate the underlined words into French.

I. Magic White Board’s presentation :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QvguJJNilA (start at 2’55)

a) What is the product ?

b) Financial information :
- How much do they ask the Dragons ? In return of what ?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- This year’s expected turnover : ………………………………….
- Expected growth :…………………………………………………….. for a profit of ………………………………

c) The sales’ pitch : How do they sell their product? Give as many details as possible.

d) What is innovative about it ?

e) What do you think of their presentation ? How efficient was it ?

 Product characteristics

• 30 Plain white Magic Whiteboard ™ A1 sheets (60cm by 80cm)

• Clings using static to any hard flat surface (painted walls,
wallpaper, windows and doors)
• Write on with any dry marker
• Highly erasable and reusable
• Leaves no marks on surfaces - no bluetack or tape marks
• Paper clings to Magic Whiteboard
• Low cost alternative to flipchart paper
• Environmentally friendly - recyclable
• Easy to carry portable roll 0.6kg

£33.99

II. Eggxactly’s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rvne5GT7-s

a) Explain what the product consist in :

b) The sales’ pitch : How does he sell his product ? (0’24 to 2’04)

c) Financial information :
- first year expected turnover : ……………………….. -year 4 turnover : ……………………

d) Questions/ demonstration : (2’45)

What happens during the demonstration ?
- 3’39 :

- 5’36 :

We can say that his presentation was ………………………………....... .

III. Business vocabulary

a) Look up and explain in English these business idioms :

To hold a patent :
To license a product :
Equity share :
To scale up :
b) Match these business idioms with the correct definition :

Talk someone out of sth, learn the ropes, corner the market, get down to business, word of mouth, game
plan, think outside the box, get down to business, ahead of the pack, raise the bar, talk someone into sth,
get sth off the ground.
idiom meaning example

If we want to stay …………………, we’ll

To be more successful than the competition
have to increase our marketing budget.

Amazon more or less …………. the

To dominate a particular market
online retailing ………………………….

What is our …………………………. for

A strategy or plan for achieving success
dealing with our new competitor?

Now that everyone’s here, let’s …….........

Stop making small talk and start talking
…………………………………………..
about serious business topics
and start with the presentation.
Now that we have finished the planning
To start something (e.g. a project or a
phase, we’re eager the get the …………..
business)
………………………………………….

I’m ………………………………………
Learn the basics of something (e.g. a job)
in my new position.

The iPhone ……………………………..

To set standards or expectations higher
for smartphone makers.

I was reluctant to redesign our website,

To convince someone to do something
but my employees ……………………. it.

We wanted to take on more debt, but our

To convince someone not to do something
CFO …………………………… of it.

To think of creative, unconventional Our current approach will get us nowhere.

solutions instead of common ones. We have to ……………………………..

Something is given or done by people

Many local stores rely on …………… ..
talking about something or telling people
……………..to get new customers.
about something